Hold-down molding



n- ,1960 Y J.E. DE VAULT 7 2 1 ,459

HOLD-DOWN MOLDING Filed Dec. 16, 1957 .INVENTOR. Ji s 5J 42172 United States Patent HOLD-DOWN MOLDING Jess E. De Vault, Birmingham, Mich.

Application December 16, 1957, Serial No. 702,917

2 Claims. (Cl. 16--7) This invention relates generally to moldings and more particularly to a molding for securing a carpet or mat to a floor so that the molding is flush with the floor surface.

A hold-down molding of the type involved in this invention is illustrated in my prior Patent No. 2,807,826 assembled with a carpet for triggering a door opening device of the type commonly used in super markets and the like. The molding shown in my prior patent is particularly useful in installing a carpet on an existing floor and is not flush with the surrounding floor surface. In a prior copending application, Serial No. 537,535 filed September 29, 1955, now Patent No. 2,875,467, issued March 3, 1959, I illustrate a molding of a type which is used in existing floor installations and does not require any-floor removal. The molding of the present invention is intended for use in connection with new floor and carpet installations and has the advantage of being flush with the surrounding floor surface when installed.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved hold-down molding for carpets which is installed so that the molding is flush with the surrounding floor surface.

-Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hold-down molding which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, readily installed so as to securely hold the carpet in position, and 'is quickly disassembled when carpet removal is required.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the molding of this invention, illustrated in assembly relation with a carpet and a concrete floor structure;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View looking along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrated similarly to Fig. 2 and showing the molding of this invention in assembly relation with a concrete floor structure having a floor covering; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, like Fig. 3, showing the molding of this invention in assembly relation with a concrete floor structure having a floor covering which is thinner than the covering shown in Fig. 3.

With reference to the drawing, the molding of this invention, indicated generally at 18, is illustrated in Fig. 1 as consisting of elongated strips 12 arranged so as to form a boundary for a rectangular carpet 14, illustrated as being of a rubber or similar material, for use in operating a power door, and supporting on a concrete floor structure 16.

Each molding'strip 12 consists of a lower anchor section 18, and an upper snap-on section 26. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the anchor section 18 includes a substantially angle-shaped body member 22 having a horizontal leg 24 and a vertical leg 26. A depending anchor leg 28 on the body member 22 insures a firmly anchored Patented Jan. 5, 1960 "ice support of the section 18 on the concrete floor structure 16.

The upright leg 26 has a lower portion of increased thickness so as to form a horizontally extending shoulder 30 intermediate the ends of the leg 26. An upright projection 32 on the horizontal leg 24 is spaced from the upright leg 26' so as to form an upwardly facing socket 34 therebetween. The upper end surface 36 of the projection 32 is at substantially the same level as the shoulder 30 and both the surface 36 and the shoulder 30 are curved inwardly of the socket 34 for a purpose to appear presently. The projection 32 and the leg 26 are each formed with a small rib 38 extending longitudinally of the strip 12 at a position spaced from the lower end of the socket 34, also for a purpose to appear presently.

The clamp-on section 20 consists of a horizontally extended substantially flat body 40 formed on its upper side with longitudinally extending non-skid grooves 42 and on its lower side with a pair of spaced depending flanges 44, each of which has a groove 46 of a size to frictionally receive a rib 38. A transversely extending foot 48 on the body 40 is adapted to exert a downward force on an adjacent edge of the carpet 14, as will more clearly appear hereinafter.

In installing the molding 1t) and the carpet 14, during placing of the concrete floor structure 16 illustrated in Fig. l, the anchor sections 18 are placed at desired locations in the fioor structure 16 while the structure is in a wet and workable condition. As shown in Fig. 1, an anchor section 18 is installed so that the top surface 50 of the upright leg 26 is flush with the floor surface 52. The anchor sections 18 are located so that when the carpet 14 is supported on the horizontal legs 24, the edges of the carpet are located adjacent the upright projections 32 on the legs 24. A snap-on upper section 20 is assembled with a corresponding anchor section 1 8 by inserting the flanges 44 in the upwardly facing socket 34 and moving the snap-on section 20 downwardly to a limit position in which the ribs 38 are located in the grooves 46. The flanges 44 spring inwardly during travel of the lower ends thereof over the ribs 38 and then spring outwardly against the projection 32 and the leg 26 when the ribs 38 are opposite the grooves 46. The downwardly sloping construction of the shoulder 38 and the surface 36 facilitate insertion of the flanges 44 into the socket 34.

The lower ends of the flanges 44 terminate above the lower end of the socket 34 so as to provide what constitutes a dust settling space in the socket 34. During installation of the carpet 14, and when the snap-on section is removed for repair or replacement of the carpet 14, it is impossible to prevent dust and the like from falling into the socket 34. Removal of such dust and foreign material is very diflicult. By forming the socket 34 of a size such that it includes a dust settling place, the sections 18 and 20 can be assembled without removing the dust.

As best appears in Fig. 2, in the assembled positions of the sections 18 and 20, in which positions the ribs 38 are located in the grooves 46, the top surface 54 of the snap-on section 20 is flush with the floor surface 52 as is the top 50 of the leg 26, and the foot 48 exerts the desired hold-down force on the carpet 14.

As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the upright leg 26 for the anchor section 18 is provided with upper and lower locating marks 60 and 62, illustrated as being notches, which visually indicate the depth to which the section 18 is to be submerged in a concrete floor structure that is to be provided with floor coverings as indicated at 64 and 68 in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. In the event the floor covering is to be of the thickness illustrated for the covering 64 in Fig. 3, which is a conventional thickness, the section 18 is submerged until the lower notch 62 is level with the top surface 52 of the concrete floor structure 16. Consequently, when the floor covering 64 is applied to the floor structure 16, the top surface 66 of the floor covering is flush with the top surface 54 of the molding 10.

Likewise, when the fioor covering 68 (Fig. ,4) isto be used, which is of a thickness less than the fioorcovering thickness illustrated in Fig. 3, and likewise corresponding to a standard thickness, the anchor section 18 is submerged in the concrete floor structure 16 to the level of the upper notch 66. Consequently, when the floor covering 68 is applied to the floor structure 16, the top surface 70 thereof is level with the top surface 54 of the molding 19. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, both of the notches 60 and 62 are located sothat they take into account the thickness of the adhesive material 72 used for attaching the floor coverings 6,4 and 68 tothefloor structure 16.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited, since changes can be made therein which are within the scope of the inventionas defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flush-type molding for carpets comprising an anchor section having an upright portion adapted to be embedded in a surrounding floor structureto a predetermined level, said anchor section having an upwardly facing socket formed adjacent said upper end, a-snap-on molding section comprising a body having a downwardly projecting portion adapted to be inserted in said socket in frictional engagement with said anchorsection and a transversely extending foot on said body adapted to hold down an adjacent carpet edge, said snap-on section having a top surface flush with the upper end of said anchor section in an assembled position of said snap-on section with said anchor section, said downwardly projecting portion being located intermediate the ends of said body, and coacting engageable stop means on said body and said anchor section disposed on opposite sides of said downwardly projecting portion in said assembled position.

2. A flush-type molding for carpets comprising an anchor section having an upright portion adapted to be embedded in a surrounding floor structure so that the upper end thereof is flush with the surface of said floor structure, said anchor section having notches formed at predetermined positions therein for visually indicating the extent to which said upright portion is to be embedded for different thicknesses of floor coverings, said anchor section having an upwardly facing socket formed adjacent said upper end, a snap-on molding section having a downwardly projecting portion adapted to be inserted in said socket in frictional engagement with said anchor section and a transversely extending foot adapted to hold down an adjacent carpet edge, said snap-on section having a top surface flush with the upper end of said anchor section in an assembled position of said snap-on section with said anchor section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,449,904 Lorraine Sept. 21, 1948 2,496,910 Fridolph Feb. 7, 1950 2,807,826 De Vault Oct. 1, 1957 

